Moving to Germany can be a big change and learning ahead of time about German people can make a huge difference when it comes to communication and interacting with them.  Keep in mind these are stereotypes and are not reflective or representative of every German but here are some general core characteristics to keep in mind:

 

Orderliness, Organizational-minded

• Germans tend to place great importance on things having an order to them, whether that is the structure or schedule of one’s day or the setup of a room

• Organization often goes hand-in-hand with orderliness as many Germans expect things to be organized and well-structured

 

Punctuality 

• Don’t be late!  Most Germans will arrive exactly on time and expect the same from you.

• Punctuality is also often viewed as a reflection of one’s respect for others and can be seen as offensive if one does not at least notify ahead of time if running late

 

Thriftiness und Frugality 

• Germans tend not to spend excessively and be mindful of their money

• In general, when one can save money, one should

 

Reason and Logic

• Germans pride themselves on being very logical and employing logical reasoning to every situation

• Germans tend to think deductively (deductive reasoning):  combining general pieces of information to form specific conclusions 

• Always remember that there is a logic to everything in Germany; you just might not understand it!

 

Humor

• Contrary to popular belief Germans really do have a sense of humor.  It might just be subtle sometimes - it's more of a dry sense of humor (irony and cynicism)

• Germans can be sarcastic and mocking, but in a very serious and monotone way that makes it hard to detect unless one knows their sense of humor!

 

Traditional-minded (not quick to change behavior or habits)

• Once set in their habits and behavior, Germans are reluctant to change

• This also applies to business and the government as tradition is widely valued and Germans tend to stick with “tried and tested” methods

• Risk-taking is therefore uncommon with caution being more the norm

 

Direct and goal-oriented

• As opposed to cultures where indirectness and inferred messages are preferred, Germans are very to-the-point and direct

• This direct, pointed approach is not meant to be offensive or make one uncomfortable but simply meant to establish clear communication and expectations

 

Coconut vs Peach

• Germany can be considered a coconut culture (hard on outside, soft on inside)

• This means that Germans are typically hard to get to know at first but after time will open up and prove to be very true and loyal friends